Water-tube boiler



Filed Dec. 1923. 2 Sheets-Sheet .11! liill INVENTOR I ALFRED COTTON goflmea wk ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 29, 1928.

names STATES,

err-ice- ALFFED Comer, 0 LOU MESSOURL some To 11mm BOILER CQMPANY, or

s t ows, msswiim A MISSOURI WATEB-ITUBE BQ LE A ppiieation filedDecember 8, 1321 Serial li o. 520,872.

This invention relates to water tube boilers' of the type thatcompriseoppositelyinc'linedbanks' ofwva'ter tribes arrangedat o'pyositesides of a substantially A-shaped col lbilstion chamber.

"In boilers of'tiie'general type referred to it has"heret'0f ore beentheusua'l practice to arrange a water drum. a'watler hox or a refractorystructure at the apex of the combustion chamber so as to divide the fireg'tases into "tire streains and direct sa'id sjieams into the separatetiibe banks at the o'gyfiesiip; sides of the combustion" chamber "alsoto prevent the lower end portions of the upper headers of'the respectivebanks from burning out on account of the accu mutationofs'ediinentinsideof same.

One objectof my invention to provide a boiler off the general typereferred to, in which the uiipe'r headers of the respective torn) the'aiiex 'of "the combustion chamber'hetween said banks and are of suchdesign that sediment cannot accumulate in the portions of said upperheaders which are suhjee't'ed .to radiant heat in sutiic'ientqu'antitiesto cause said'headers to burn out. constructing the boilerin thismanner'l materially reduce the cost of manufacture of the boilerfdue tothe elimination ota separate part such as a water'dri-nn, a wate'r boxor a refractory structure and also the elimination of an arch or othersustainmg means for carrying said separate part.

Another object of my invention is to provide a boiler of the generaltype referred to which is of such design that the circulation of thewater through the tubes and headers or the respective banks ismaterially in.- creased, thereby making; it possible to run the boilerat a higher capacity than is usual i nhoilei's of this designv And stillanother object it to provide a boiler of the general type referred tothat is e'q'uipped'ujith a novel form of baffling.

To this end I have devised a boiler that cori' prises twooppositely-inciined banks of \iiafter tubes arranged at opposite sidesof a substantially A-shaped combustion chamher. and header structures atthe upper ends o l sili tl treks i'rovitl'ci(l"\vith cdo pera'tiiigportions that form the apex of the combustion'chainber and wh'ic'harecombined vvith the hot toni tubes or radiant heat tubes of the banks insuch a way as to prevent sedimenrrrom collecting in the portions of saidupper -headers that are exposedto radiant heat. in siich quantities asto cause said headers to burnout. Preferably the header structure at theupper end of each tube bank provided with a number of spaced portionsthat extend transversely-of the boiler atthe 'iipp'er end of thecombustion chamber, and-the 'portions referr'ethto' of the headerstructures of the respective banks are arranged in interlockingengagement or in dove-tail relation with cach other so that they actcollectively to-form the apex of the combustion chamber. The spacedportions of each header structure, in addition to be ing direct] yconnected'to the upp'er'ends of some ofthe bottom tubes 'or radiant heattubes of the bank ofwhi ch' the header structure forms" a 'ia'ar't, arealso directly connected to the upper ends of some ofthe bottom itu'besor radiant heat tubes of the other ban-k, thus causing the Water thatcirculates upwar'dly through some of the radia-nt hea't tubes of thebank at one side of the combustion chamber to cross over and entertihe'head'er structure of the other ban-k,

and the Water that circulates upwardly through some of the radiantheattubes of said other bank'to cross over and circulate upwardly throughthe header structure of the bank first referred to. The headerstructures are preferably so arranged'that each header structure formspractiea'lly a continuation in a substantially straight line of some ofthe radiant heat tubes of the bank on the other side. of the combustionchamber, thereby 'jroviding upflow passage ways of such length asto'in'sure the-Wa ter circulating upwardly through sanie at anateriallyhigher velocity than is attained in a bo'iier of the kind inW'hichthe water makes an abrupt right angular turn when it reaches theupper end of thebot-tom tubes or radiant heat tubesof each tube ban'k.Accordingly, 'in' my improved boiler the water Will circulate throughthep ortions of tion through relatively long water passage. ways notonly tends toprevent"sediment from collecting in the,lowe r portions ofthe upper headers, but it also' increas'es the circnlation through theentire boiler. in such a way as to. make it possible to run-the boilerat a .higher capacity than is the usualpractice. In other words, in myimproved boiler the. -.water a\'hich circulates. upwardly through someof the. radiant heat tubesof each bank does not make an abrupt orrightangular turn when it reachesv the-upperends of said-tubes, but, onthe contrary, continues to; flow in the same general .directionupwardlyvthrough the header structures of the boiler, thereby causing thewaterthat circulates upwardly through the header. struc turesto obtain such'ahigh velocity, that the circulation of the water through all-of thetubes of each bank is materiallyincreased.

Preferably sectional headersare used at the upper ends of the tubes ofthe respective banks, and the portions of the header structurespreviously referred to that co-operate with each other to form the apexof the combustion chamber are obtained'by building up each. headerstructure'from alter nately arranged long and shortv headers, the lowerend-portions ofthe longheaders of the respective banks dove-tailing witheach other so that they act collectively to form the apex of thecombustion chamber.

- The battlingthat I prefer to use in my boiler difi'ers .from thebathing used in prior boilers provided with an'A-shaped combustionchamber, in-that each tube bank is provided with a substantiallyvertically-disposed first batlle that crosses the tubes at such an anglethat the first pass has an inlet of materially greater area than itsexit and an inclined second bafile which crosses the tubes at such anangle that the second pass has an inlet of materially greater area thanits exit. Y

Figure l of the drawings is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of aboiler constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is across sectional view of the tube bank at the left hand sideof the combustion chamber, taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows: and Figure 3 is a fragmentaryview. showing one of the long upper headers of the leftliand bank andone of the short upper headers of the right. hand bank.

Referring to Figures 1 and of the drawings, A and B designate twooppositely-inclined banks of water tubes arranged at opposite sides of asubstantially A-shaped combustion chamber C 1 and 2" designate sectionalheaders that are arranged at the up er ends of the tubes of the bank Aand 3 esignates sectional headers "arranged at the lower ends of" thetubes of the bank A. Thenpper headers l and 2 are of different lengthand are arranged so that the long header-s2. will. be positioned betweenthe short headers 1", a's'sliownin Figure 2. thus forming an upperheader structure. provided at its lower end with. a plurality ofspacedportions 2. that extend transversely of; thecombustion -chamber C.'fhe bank B .is .provided with an upper header structure of the samekind as the-upper header. structureof the bank A, and composed of longsectional headers 4 arranged in alternate relation vith short headers40. one of which is shown in Figure 3, ach of the long headers st beingprovided at its lowercnd with a portion 4 as shown in Figures 1 and 2.The portions t of the upper header structure of the bank Bare arrangedin dove-tail relation with the portions 2 of the upper headerstructureof the bank A so that said portions P and 2 act collectively to"form the apex of the combustion chamber C. .The bank B is provided withlower sectional headers The bottom tubes or radiant heattubeS-G of thebank A are connected at their upper ends to the upper headerstructuresof both banks. Thus, as. shown in Figure 2' 'and partly in Figure. '1,one-half of the bottom tubes (3 of the bank A are connected at theirupper ends to the portions P of. the upper header structure oil the bankB and the remaining bottom tnbes G of the bank A are connected at theirupper ends to the depending portion Q of the upper header structure ofthe bank A, the tubes 6 that are connected to the header portions 43entering the ends of said port-ions. as shown in Figure l. and thetub-cs that/are con nected to the header port ons 2 entering the sidesof same, as shown in lfigure :3. where in the ends of the portions Phave been slightly shaded so as to more clearly distinguish same fromthe sides of the header portions 3 The bottom tubes or radianthcat tubes7 of the bank B have their upper ends connected to the upper headerstructures of the respective banks in the same manner namely, onehal.'fot the tubes '7 are connected at their upper ends to the sides of theheader portions 43 and the rcmainder are connected at their upper endsto the ends of the header portions 2 of the bank A. Y I

Each bank is provided with a transverse LOO mange 44 drum 119 which isconwhich it forms a part, and in the 'forinof my invention illustratedin l ig ure each bank is equipped with a steam superheate'r -I t;hut.;i's arranged preferably in aspace in the. bunk formed 'by dividingthe =tubes of the bank into a glo'wersgroup and an up'p'r group, thesuperheirtcr :of each bank being :tor 'ued rpreferablyby a number ofsubstantially L -shaped tubes arraii-gecl parallel to the .water tubesof the'ban'k with 'whichthe superheater is associated, and transverseheaders 8 combined writ-h suid 'u shup'ed tubes in Qt-he usual manner.

The baffling of 'n'iyeimproved boiler is different gtrom the bafilingthat is vag'enera-lly used in-boilers;o-f.-the lr'rnd to w-hich myinvent-ion -relates,; end :s'oconstructed that eaeh -bankisiprowidedwith awfi-rst-lpa'ss having -an 'inlet of "materially -greater area thanitsge-xit, land's second lpasswhose inlet is of l'nateria-lly :greaterarea thanits exit. As shown in'Figu're Leach bank of the-boiler isprovided, .witlra substantially vertically-disposed transverse firstbaflle 9 that crosses the tubes of the bank at .suclran'angle that theinlet of-the first puss ofthe bankiisof greater area than the exitof thefirst pass. -A second transverse .bafile 10 -is arranged in each-tubebank at such an angle. with relation to the first ba'file 9 of the bankas-to form a second pass whose inlet is of 'u'iaterially greater areathanrits exit. When the boiler is in operation the fire gases circulatethrough the respective banks in-the manner indicated by the arrows inFigureland'c'seape through uptakesl'l which lead from the lower-ends ofthe banks. It-is iurmaterial what typeof stoking-apparutus"the boiler isequipped with, Therefore, I have lllustrated theboiler shown in Fig-lire1 asbeinq equipped with-aconventional =undc'r feed stator thatcomprises-grates l 2-to which fuel is supplied from hoppers 12 arrangedatt-h'e lowerends of chutes or troughs 12 down which the fuel iseonductedto the hoppers.

As Previously stated, the apex of the combustion chamber C of "theboiler is 'formed by the co-operating interlocking !portions *2 and 1 ofthe long headers at the upper ends of the respective ban-ks. lhc'reforc.such a boiler can be manufactured at a low cost, as it is not necessaryto arrange a refractory structure or a water drum or water l)(i.separate and distinct. from the header structures at the upper end ofthe combustion=cha1nbeix In view of the fact that each of the headerportions 2* and 4* has two oppositely-inclined water tubes connected tosame, there is only a relatively small surface of reach ofsaidportionsthat is subjected to radiant heat. -The fact however. that said headerportions are combined with the hottom tubes or raclia n't "heat tubes of"the re speetii 'e banks in such n 'man'ii''r that they virtuallyformstrai-ght cohtinuatiohs of tl'ie watertubes that are connect-ed tothe ends of said portions, eliminates the possibility "(lf sedimentcollecting l-nsaid portions i'n 'suilicient'qu'antiti'es 'to cause themto burn out. lVhen the boiler is in operation the iiitter thatcirculates upwardlvthroughp'a'rt ofthe radi'ant heat tubes 6 of' th'ebank lk continues to flow upwardly in the same gener'altlfi'eclion,after reaching theuppefr'enc'ls of said tubes, dhe to the 'fact'thattlie lo'ng' upper heladersof the Bank 'B m-e'wrra'n d in substantiall'ylongitudinhl 'll-lignnient with said tubes. "Accordingly, the Walter that circulzitesupivardly through the tubes fi referr'ed to 'Will attainsuch a high velocity, in tr'avelinghpivardl y -t-hroughth'e longheatlersof the bank B, that itfgreatly'ihcretlscsfthe' ci'rculationun the entire'ba'nk B. 'Illltuls'c, the 'Water'that circulatesu ptvlirclly tumu'giithose radiant heat tubes 7 of the {bank B whose upper ends areeonrretetl the iring upper headers of the ba'til: A will attain a highvelocity, in traveling upwardly through said long headers, thusmaterially increasin the circulation ln=tl1'e."enth'ebafik A. 'Wlri lo Ipreferto build the upper header structure of each bank from-=alternate-ly ar'uuged short and long sectional headers, 'in broad ideacontemplates the "use of any rind of upper head'er fstruct'u're's forthe respective banks that are provided With spaced interlocking or(hive-tail portions that act'colle'c ti'vel-y to form "the apex "of'hsubstantial] y 'A- shaped combustionchamber and which are combined'Kvith' *the-radihnt he attubes or botwill lubesm f't'he ba nkstit'theopposite sides ofisnzd combustion chamber in such =21 inaurierthdt the.upper header structures "vi rtua'lly form continuations in 'asilbstantilill'y straight-line of some of the radiant heat tubes, andthus-produce a "so-chlledA-type boiler in which the water thatcirculates upwardly through some of the radiant heat tubes of each bankcan continue its up'timr uninterruptedly, after reaching the upper endsof said tubes. As previously stated, cross connecting the u pperheaderstiructures of 'the respective'bunks together-in thisinannerrprevents the acc-nn'uilationof se'dinient in the portions o-fthe upper header structures that are subjected to the direct action ofthe firegases and it incre'ases the entire circulation of the boiler tosuch an eXteI'itthal: it is possible to run the boiler at a higherc'apacitv than is the usual practice.

Era-"Vin; thus described my invention. i'i-liht I cl-a-iiu new anddesire to secure by L'ct te rs Patent is: I

-1, A boiler. comprising oppositely-inclined banks of superimposed watertubes sprang-eel at opposite sides of a substantially ='A-shlip'edcombustion chamber. each *of said 'ba'hks in ving radiant heat tubes, asteam-and-water drum associated with each of said banks, and a headerstructure at the upper end of each of said banks, disposed at an angleto the tubes of same and having its lower end portion communicating withsome of the radiant heattubes of the other bankand arranged insubstantially longitudinal alignment therewith so as to virtually form acontinuation in a straight line of said radiant heat tubes.

2. A boiler provided with banks of oppositely-inclined superimposedwater tubes arranged at opposite sides of a substantially A-shapedcombustion chamber. each of said banks having radiant heat tubes, asteamand-water drum associated with each of said banks, a headerstructure at the upper end of each bank disposed at an an le to thetubes of same and arranged-in su stantially longitudinalalignment-withthe radiant heat tubes of the other bank, and means whereby the waterthat circulates upwardly through some of the bottom tubes of-each bankcan continue its upward circulation uninterruptedly through the headerstructure of the other bank.

3. A boiler, comprising two oppositelyinclined banks of superimposedwater tubes arranged at opposite sides of a substantially A-shapedcombustion chamber and each provided at its upper end with a headerstructure disposed at substantially right angles to the tubes of thebank, said header structures being equipped with co-operating portionsthat form the apex of said combustion chamber and some of the bottom rowof tubes of each bank being connected to the lower end of the headerstructure of the other bank so as to cause the water in said tubes tocirculate uninterruptedly through said header structure 4. An A-typeboiler, comprising oppositely-inclined banks of superimposed Water tubesarranged at opposite sides of a combustion chamber common to both ofsaid banks, a header structure at the upper end of each bank, andportions at the lower ends of said header structures arranged instaggered relation so as to form the apex of the combustion chamber, theportions referred to of each header structure being directly connectedto some of the bottom tubes of the bank of which it forms a part andalso directly connected. to some of the bottom tubes of the other bank.

5. An A-type boiler provided with oppositely-inclined banks ofsuperimposed water tubes, and header structures at the upper ends ofsaid banks provided at their lower ends with spaced portions arranged sothat the portions on one header structure are positioned between theportions of the other header structure, some of the bottom tubes of eachbank being connected to the header portions of the bank of which saidtubes form a part and the remaining bottom tubes being connected to theheader portions of the other bank.

6. An A-type boiler, comprising oppositely-inclined banks of suprimposed water tubes, each of said banks having radiant heat tubes, andheader structures at the upper ends of said banks provided at theirlower ends with extensions that are arranged in substantially dove-tailrelation, each of said extensions being directly connected to a radiantheat tube or bottom tube of each bank.

7. An A-type boiler provided with oppositely-inclined banks ofsuperimposed water tubes, each of said banks having radiant heat tubes,and header structures at the upper ends of said banks provided at theirlower ends withextensions arranged in substantially staggered relationand combined with the radiant heat tubes of the banks in such a mannerthat some of the radiant heat tubes of each bank enter the sides of theextensions on the header structure of that particular bank and some ofthe radiant heat tubes of the other bank enter the ends of saidextensions.

8. A boiler, comprising oppositely-inclined banks of superimposed watertubes, each of said banks having radiant heat tubes, and a headerstructure at the upper end of each bank composed of long and shortheaders arranged in alternate relation, the long headers being directlyconnected to some of therad-iant heat tubes of the bank of which saidheaders form a part and also directly connected to some of the radiantheat tubes of the other bank.

9. A boiler provided with oppositely-inclined banks of superimposedwater tubes arranged at opposite sides of a substantially A-shapedcombustion chamber, each of said banks having radiant heat tubes, andlong and short sectional headers arranged at the upper ends of saidbanks in such a manner that the lower end portions of the long headersform the apex of said combustion chamber, each of said long headersbeing directly connected to one of the radiant heat tubes of the bank ofwhich said header forms a part and also directly connected to one of theradiant heat tubes of the other bank.

10. An A-type boiler, comprising oppositely-inclined banks ofsuperii'nposed water tubes, each of said banks having radiant heattubes, and a header structure at the upper end of each bank composed ofa number of short. sectional headers arranged between a number of longsectional headers and both disposed at an angle to the tubes of thebank, the long headers of each bank communicating with some of thebottom tubes of the other bank and arranged in substantiallylongitudinal alignment therewith so as to virtually form a continuationin a substantially straight line of same and also act collectively toform the apex of the combustion chamber.

11. A boiler provided with oppositely-in- 5 clined banks of superimposedwater tubes arranged in proximity to a combustion chamber common to bothbanks, each of said banks having radiant heat tubes, and sectionalheaders at the upper ends of said banks,

some of the headers of each bank being provided with portions thatco-operate with similar portions on headers of the other bank to formthe apex of the combustion chamber and each of said portions beingdirectly connected to the upper ends of radiant heat tubes located atopposite sides of the combustion chamber.

ALFRED COTTON.

